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Subcommittee actions: summary of bills advanced, amended and rolled (March 2025)
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Summary
The Departments & Agencies Subcommittee handled a slate of bills on March 2025, advancing most to full committee, adopting amendments on several, and postponing at least one for further work. This roundup lists each item, the action taken, and key details from sponsor explanations and public testimony.
The Departments & Agencies Subcommittee considered multiple bills on its March 2025 calendar and took the following actions: several bills were amended and moved to full committee, one bill was rolled to next year, and one received public testimony before being taken off notice.
House Bill 351 (Representative Hirt) — The subcommittee adopted amendment 6,378 and voted to move HB 351 to the full committee. Sponsor summary: the bill, as amended, requires that when a prisoner released for paid employment wears an electronic monitoring device as required under current law, the sheriff housing the prisoner may deduct monitoring-device costs from the prisoner's wages. Vote: 7 ayes, 0 nos.
House Bill 309 (Representative Gillespie) — The subcommittee added amendment 4,894 to HB 309 and then the sponsor said he planned to “roll this bill…for and save it for next year.” The hearing included public testimony from Eric Gang, an attorney who described the bill's goal as creating safeguards and minimum standards for contracts and partnerships that assist veterans; Gang urged developing minimum standards of qualification and licensure for providers. Outcome: amendment adopted; bill rolled/off notice for further work and possible reintroduction next year.
House Bill 1358 (Chair Littleton) — The bill (as amended with amendment 5,343 previously adopted in another committee) would require the Department of Children’s Services to begin construction in the Western Grand Division of Tennessee on a facility for children detained while awaiting adjudication on delinquency or unruliness charges; yesterday’s untimely amendment reduced bed count and lowered the fiscal note. The subcommittee voted to move the bill to full committee (Ayes reported; clerk recorded 0 nos).
House Bill 94 (Representatives Wally & Shaw) — Sponsor said the legislation would transfer autopsy and travel costs for state prisoners from Hardeman County to the state. The subcommittee voted to advance the bill to full committee: 8 ayes, 0 nos.
House Joint Resolution 180 (Representative Reeves) — The resolution urges the federal government to streamline lawful immigration processes, reduce excessive fees and delays while maintaining security standards. The subcommittee added amendment 5,595 and approved the resolution, moving it to full committee: 8 ayes, 0 nos.
House Bill 177 (Representative Reeves) — The bill establishes the state crime of illegal entry in Tennessee for persons unlawfully present who enter or remain in the state without authorization. Sponsor described it as “a measured, responsible step” to protect communities. The subcommittee adopted amendment 6,262 and voted to move the bill out to full committee: 7 ayes, 1 no.
House Joint Resolution 146 (Representative Mayberry, carried for Representative Ryan Williams) — The resolution would allow local school boards to authorize one “game of chance” fundraiser within a school’s geographic boundaries (examples given: raffles or cake walks). The subcommittee adopted amendment 5,294 and advanced the resolution: 8 ayes, 0 nos.
House Bill 779 (technical correction carried by Representative Mayberry) — The bill updates an incorrect code reference in the Charitable Solicitations Act to reflect changes after creation of the Charter School Commission in 2019; the subcommittee advanced the technical correction to full committee (Ayes recorded; clerk recorded 0 nos).
Procedural notes: where vote counts were announced on the record, they are included above. Several bills had untimely amendments allowed by unanimous consent; sponsors indicated some items will be revisited in summer workgroups or companion bills.
